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Biography

Muffat was born in Megeve, Savoy (now in France), of Scottish descent. His precise birth date is unknown, but he was baptised on 1st June 1653. He studied in Paris with Jean-Baptiste Lully between 1663 and 1669, then became an organist in Molsheim and Sélestat. Later, he studied law in Ingolstadt, afterwards settling in Vienna. He could not get an official appointment, so travelled to Prague in 1677, then to Salzburg, where he worked for the archbishop for some ten years.

About 1680, he traveled to Italy, there studying the organ with Bernardo Pasquini, a follower of the tradition of Girolamo Frescobaldi; he also met Arcangelo Corelli, whose works he greatly admired. From 1690 to his death on 23rd February 1704, he was Kapellmeister to the bishop of Passau.

His works are strongly influenced by both French and Italian composers.